Meet the Songbook Illustrators
Every family enrolled in a Music Together® class receives an illustrated songbook to help keep the music-learning (and play!) going at home. The books feature beautiful, colorful illustrations that bring each song to life. We sat down with our award-winning illustrators, Jaime Kim and Gerald Kelley, to learn a little bit more about them and their unique creative approaches.
Gerald Kelley
Gerald Kelley’s artwork can be seen in each Music Together® songbook, as well as in the Rhythm Kids® by Music Together® materials. Gerald's watercolor designs are strikingly detailed, with an emphasis on highlighting the humorous personality traits of his quirky characters.
What sparked your interest in taking on the Music Together® songbook project?
Gerald Kelley: It was an opportunity to do something I hadn't done before: illustrate for music rather than a story. But, really, they aren't very different at all, are they? They're both attempting to convey something to the reader/singer/listener. The illustrator adds another element to the words that perhaps wasn't considered by the writer. So hopefully, the result is fun and exciting.
Can you explain your process, in terms of how you make decisions about the ways you communicate your message through your artwork?
GK: Depending on the mood or the requirements of the particular piece (if it needs to show very specific details), I will consider the angle of the shot. Is the piece best served by lowering the ''camera'' and aiming up, or raising it and framing from a higher angle? Is the mood one of stress or fear? Then I might frame everything at a 45-degree angle to give the scene an unstable quality. I take lots of framing cues from movies. I'll also make color decisions based on where I want the viewer to focus their attention. "Doodle" (from the Maracas and Banjo song collections) is a good example of this. There's a lot going on, and I didn’t want the rabbit to be lost visually. So I contrasted his color with the overall color of the remaining image to make him pop.
Are there certain songs that you connected to right away, or that inspired you in some way?
GK: I enjoyed "Five Little Mice" (from Maracas and Banjo)—that fat cat and a bunch of mice with totally different personalities! What’s not to like?
Our teachers and families particularly love your artwork for "One Little Owl" and "Tambourine Jam." Can you comment on how you decided on the wonderful expressions for the animals in these two illustrations?
GK: I simply like to vary the expressions found in my illustrations. People have different ways of expressing happiness when they smile, and I try to apply that principle to my drawings. And it gives the viewer variety in their experience of the character. You get a hint of what might be the personalities of each animal.
Your illustrations truly capture a childlike energy. What fuels that playfulness and humor?
GK: Most projects I work on tend to be humorous, which suits my sensibilities. I grew up in the era of Saturday morning cartoons, and my particular favorite was "The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show." It was that one hour a week that I was exposed to quirky, skewed humor, and, interestingly, classical music! You're not the same after watching Elmer Fudd sing opera while wearing a magic helmet. So I always look for a fun element in the text and see where it goes.
Jaime Kim
Jaime’s artwork can be seen in each Music Together® songbook. She was born in Korea and moved to the United States when she was 18. When Jaime was younger, drawing and painting helped her to feel more comfortable with her surroundings. She is especially fond of the moon, sky, and stars. If you look closely at her work, you will observe those elements are part of many of her illustrations!
Can you describe your illustration process as you design or imagine ways to connect the Music Together® songs to your images?
Jaime Kim: Rather than focusing on the lyrics, I attempt to do my drawings by following the atmosphere of the song. Lyrics are certainly also important, but not all aspects of a song can be captured in a single illustration. Thus, I try to capture the overall feeling of the song instead. It helps me capture the atmosphere if I listen to the song while doing the drawing.
What do you find is the most challenging part of illustrating the Music Together® songbooks?
JK: I usually do a lot of picture books. This songbook project was actually a first for me. Unlike picture books, the Music Together songbooks require a different concept and characters for each song—and that is a bit of a challenge. However, it is fun for me as well!
What is the most enjoyable part of the Music Together® artwork process for you?
JK: The most enjoyable for me is imagining the children taking a Music Together class as I create the illustrations. Listening to the songs while doing my drawing allows me to feel as if I'm participating in a Music Together class myself!
Are there certain songs that you connected to right away or that inspired you in some way?
JK: It was a ton of fun making an illustration for "Arirang" (from the Drum Song Collection). The reason it was so fun is not simply because I'm Korean; what I enjoyed was the process of bringing out and expressing the song with a one-page landscape. I also feel happy whenever I draw the "Hello Song," which goes on the front cover of every book. Each time I get the next collection of songs, I end up drawing the ''Hello Song'' first, and because of this, I'm able to always start with a positive and happy feeling.